An eighth person has died from injuries sustained in a deadly 72-vehicle pileup caused by a dust storm on I-55 earlier this month in downstate Illinois, according to the Sangamon County Coroner.
Ruth Rau, 81, of Sorento, Ill. died from blunt force injuries at a hospital in Springfield on Tuesday night, officials said.
After struggling to identify several of the victims killed in the crash, officials identified the seventh victim killed last week as 58-year-old Otto Medina-Salazar of Carthage, Mo.
Previously, Illinois State Police revealed that the following individuals had also died in the crash:
- Shirley Harper, 88, of Franklin, Wisconsin
- Joseph Bates, 73, of Crystal Lake, Illinois
- Donna Bates, 71, of Crystal Lake, Illinois
- Earl LeGrand, 64, of Florissant, Missouri
- Michael Zinchuk, 55, of Champaign, Illinois
- Amy Zinchuk, 54, of Champaign, Illinois
Despite dust storms being quite rare in Illinois, high winds and recently plowed farmland led to a significant and rapid drop in visibility, triggering the pile-up and causing road closures.
Illinois State Police Director Brendan F. Kelly noted the situation was an "unusual circumstance."
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"Certainly dust storms happen, but it is not something that happens every day here in this part of Illinois or in any part of Illinois," he said. "So this is very serious, unusual circumstances. I know meteorologists and the National Weather Service have certainly put out their observations and their conclusions about what led to these circumstances and it's simply a terrible, terrible tragedy. It was a terrible day here in this part of the state and for the families that were affected by this and we'll certainly continue to keep them at the center of our hearts as we ... our love goes out to them, but as we do the job that we need to do here to identify the remains of these last two individuals."
A total of 37 people were also injured in the crash and transported to area hospitals, the ISP said. Injuries range from minor to life-threatening, and ages span from 2 to 80 years old.
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According to officials, 72 vehicles were involved in the pile-up, which took place Monday morning on two mile stretch of I-55. The number of vehicles involved, however, is likely higher given that some involved were able drive away from the scene.
The large crash occurred around 11 a.m. on May 1 near milepost 76 in Montgomery County. According to Illinois State Police, it initially happened in the northbound lanes of the highly trafficked interstate, but crashes then followed in the southbound lanes.
At least two semi-trucks caught fire during the crash.
Images and video from the scene show dozens of cars and semi-trucks piled up across the highway, with thick clouds of dust covering the road.
Divernon's mayor said that while dust storms aren't unheard of in the area, the situation has never escalated to the level seen during this storm.
"Two or three weeks ago, we had a dust storm on Route 104 and it caused some accidents," Divernon Mayor Jim Copelin told NBC Chicago earlier this month. "But nothing of this magnitude. This is beyond unreal."
"This is a very difficult scene, difficult to train for, not something we experience locally," stated Montgomery County EMA Director Kevin Schott.
Illinois State Police said the cause of the crash was "excessive winds blowing dirt from farm fields across the highway leading to zero visibility."
According to the NBC 5 Storm Team, the dust in the air could be caused by tilling, which is common during this time of year.
State police also cited that potential.
"This has happened before in various parts of the state of the Illinois, where unfortunately due to excessive high winds, that once the farmers have turned the field, the topsoil or the dirt that’s on top there gets loose," Illinois State Police Major Ryan Starrick said. "It’s extremely dry, and due to the excessive winds of the area, will blow across certain roadways."
EXPLAINER: What Causes a Dust Storm And How Often Do They Occur?
Kelly said that an investigation into the crash remained ongoing and it was not immediately clear if any citations would be issued.
